The invention relates to a testing and/or practice projectile for an artillery weapon. Such projectiles have as one of their objects to test the functioning of the projectile loading mechanism for the weapon and as another object to permit the personnel servicing the artillery weapon to be trained by means of practice projectiles, so as to effect a smooth flowing ammunition loading and firing without the utilization of life ammunition.
With the known practice ammunition, the projectile which is placed in the breech of the weapon is frequently so firmly lodged within the gun barrel that it occasionally requires special tools which are difficult to be applied. For example, an expelling rod with a hydraulic cylinder or spindle is required which serves to push out the practice ammunition, whereby a large force, for example 300 KN is required to be applied. In extreme cases it is even necessary to fire the projectile in order to remove it from the gun barrel, which of course makes it non-reusable. Moreover, the useful life of such practice projectiles is reduced in view of the fact that the guide band of the projectile is pressed into the gun barrel bore surface, in particular when the inner surface of the gun barrel is rifled.